As a development professional, I often get to visit places that an urban traveller wouldn’t generally consider for a holiday. One such instance was when I was required to visit the capital city of Chhattisgarh (a young state situated in the centre-east of India), Raipur, for some last-minute meetings at the Ministry. The one-and-a-half day visit was surely not enough to explore the growing city in its entirety but I did get a glimpse into the surprising blend of traditional and modern life. Continue reading “Raipur, Chhattisgarh: Land Of Gonds, Bhils And Surprises”

A sleepy dawn greeted us through the mist and haze as we embarked upon a three hours’ shikara (wooden Kashmiri boats) ride on the Dal Lake. There was a unique calm about this ride. The tranquil waters mirrored a sense of peace that I felt deep within me!Continue reading “Secret To Kashmir’s Timeless Beauty”

While the craze for football has eternally popularized the Latin American countries of Brazil and Argentina among us Indians, its other illustrious neighbours have not attracted us as much till now. Peru – the emerging destination (international) at the Lonely Planet Magazine India Travel Awards 2016 – happens to be one of those neighbours biding its time for our attention.

India and Peru has historically had healthy trade relations; and is currently in negotiations over a free trade agreement. It might be time for us to consider exploring this country with a history that dates back to approximately 9,000 B.C. Here’s the experience of a Nigerian friend who spent sometime in the country, to get you started… Continue reading “Lima, Peru: Personal Transformation through Travel”

It was a thriving city situated on the top of a hill, surrounded by the dense forest where history was made, lost and drowned with the passage of time. It is the story of the ruined hill fort of Mandavgad (or present day Mandu), situated close to the city of Indore in the Malwa region of western Madhya Pradesh (MP), India. Continue reading “Mandu: A Ruined City in the Heart of Incredible India”